What's New

Developers Diary: February - 2015

Following the completion of the southern extension from Trent to Kegworth, we now turn our attention to the Erewash line. For the start of 2015 we shall extend the line North from Trowell Junction to Ilkeston including Ilkeston Juntion Station and the branches to the local mines.Our story continues........keep in touch as we progress

Our work for February starts with one of many Mills that were built in Ilkeston at the time of the industrial revolution. This one is perhaps the most famous or most viewed because it sits on the Trowell side of the station at Ilkeston Junction. Still there today. It is Armstrong Mill

2nd - 9th February 2015

Armstrong's Mill, ILKESTON JUNCTION

Here is the overall plan and completed model.

11th February 2015

There is one outstanding landscape feature we are unable to avoid when we are looking at this section of the Erewash line. Although it does not feature as part of the Midland Railway it cannot be disregarded simply because without it, it would not represent a true likeness of Ilkeston Junction. It is of course, the Bennerley Viaduct.

Happily still standing, although isolated since the banking either side was removed, this monument to Victorian engineering carried the GNR's track across the Erewash Valley between Ilkeston (North) and Awsworth stations. It is a Grade 2 listed structure, but has recently been declared at risk. There are alarming signs of deterioration in the iron structure that does not bode well for its long term survival. The ground here was not strong enough to support a brick viaduct, so an iron latticework structure was constructed, 1452 feet long with 16 lattice deck spans, each 76 feet 7 inches wide. These stood on twelve wrought iron columns on foundations of blue bricks capped with stone. Three additional iron spans of various lengths on brick piers carried the railway over the MR Erewash Valley line and the Erewash canal. The track was 60 feet 10 inches above the bed of the River Erewash.

The concrete foundations were begun in May 1876, and the girders were erected, Ilkeston end first, between July 1876 and November 1877. Ironwork was supplied by Swinger and Company of Eastwood. All the ironwork was prefabricated and then assembled on site, making the job much easier. Railway men apparently referred to Bennerley as the 'nuts and bolts' viaduct, but it is actually held together with rivets and cotter pins.

Originally one of five constructed to a similar design, Bennerley is now only one of two metal viaducts to survive in Britain.

13th February 2015

The design of the viaduct can be split down into 2 main parts. The lattice deck spans and the bridge section over the MR Erewash Line. I will start with the lattice deck plan template, one that can be repeated and put together to make the main structure of the viaduct. The section includes the span and 1 leg. Connection overlaps are included so when sections are put together the appearance of the spans are a continuous structure.

15th February 2015

The bridge section is a reasonably simple design but as the GNR line crosses the Erewash Valley line at approximately 16 degrees out from a true 90 degree right angle. The central legs and buttresses have to be modeled taking this into consideration. Gradually getting there and should soon have a picture of the full viaduct assembled and in place on the route

21st February 2015

OK. That's all the spans connected on the route. Wow. Looks better than I thought it would.